Northern Tilefish

Tilefish

Lopholatilus chamaeleonticeps

Size: to 42" and 50 lbs.

Habitat
Deep waters around offshore canyons

These strange deep-sea fishes are found in the walls of the offshore canyons, far below the range of scuba divers, although they are caught by deep-sea fishermen. Their population is extremely cyclical, with large die-offs from excessively warm water, and this precludes any long-term commercial fishery.

Tilefish
Tilefish

Choctaw reef
Photo courtesy of McAllister Towing
Type:
artificial reef, tugboat
Name:
An Indian tribe of south and central Mississippi, later forcibly moved to the Oklahoma territory.
Built:
1966, Ira S. Bushey & Sons, Brooklyn NY USA
Specs:
( 90 x 24 ft ) 84 gross tons
Sponsor:
Spentonbush Red Star Company, Beach Haven Marlin & Tuna Club, Fish America, Atlantic County Reef Society
Sunk:
Tuesday April 7, 1991 - Garden State North Artificial Reef
GPS:
39°37.894' -74°01.284'
Depth:
75 ft